Automatic fire-extinguisher.



UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGEQ ALFONSO LEE JAYNES, E BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

Application filed March 21,1906. Serial No. 307.152.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFONSO LEE J-AYNEs, of the city of Buffalo, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a ful, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of fireextinguishers which are actuated by heat when the temperature surrounding them reaches a certain predetermined degree.

A common fire-extinguisher, known as the automatic sprinkler, is actuated by a certain degree of heat to discharge a quantity of water on the fire below. This device, however, besides causing a great deal of damage to a building itself renders any class of goods contained therein practically useless and unsalable. Moreover, there is always a possibility of much damage being done should such a device be started off accidentally.

- The object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and reliable apparatus that Will operate when required to extinguish a fire and that will not damage any class of goods to any appreciable extent.

The invention consists, essentially, of a receptacle suspended from a ceiling or any other suitable place, which receptacle is filled withany of the powdered chemical compositions suitable for extinguishing fire. A globe of thin glass or other easily breakable material is attached to said receptacle, which globe is adapted to contain an explosive cartridge having fuses leading therefrom. When the heat reaches a certain temperature, the cartridge is exploded and a quantity of the chemical composition-discharged to the floor below. At the same time a weight-actuated wheel is set in motion which continues to discharge the powdered chemical radially from its circumference, so that a comparatively large area is covered by a single apparatus. i

In the drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the center of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device with the sealing-cap removed. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the wheel, showing the radial vanes. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the method of soldering the ring which supports the globe. Fig.

5 is a sectional view showing the method of fixing the spool to the spindle.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a cylindrical reservoir having a base 2. At the top of said reservoir are a plurality of lugs 3, two of which support a cross-piece 4. The center of the cross-piece 4 is provided with a circular recess 5, the bottom of which is provided with a slightly-raised boss 6, surrounding a central aperture 7. The bottom of the reservoir is also provided witha central aperture 8 and, further, with a plurality of apertures 9. The walls of the reservoir project slightly below the base 2 and are provided with an interior annular groove which forms the half of a circular .channel 10. A thin metal ring or collar 11 is adapted to fit on the inside of the downwardly-projecting walls, which ring is provided with an annular groove forming the other half of the circular channel 10. The ring 11 is provided with threads 12, which are adapted to engage the globe 13 of glass or other suitable material. The globe 13 is screwed onto the collar 11 and is provided with a circumferential groove 14 and a lower aperture 15. Within the globe an explosive cartridge 16 is adapted to cover the aperture 15, and each cartridge is provided with a plurality of fuses 17, passing through the aperture 15 and extending divergently around the exterior of the globe to the groove 14, where they are secured to the surface of the globe by a fuse 18, lying in the groove 14. The ends of the fuses 17 extend upwardly to any suitable distance.

A spindle 19 is adapted to rotate in the apertures 7 and 8 and carries on its lower end a horizontal wheel 20, having a plurality of radial ribs or vanes 21' on its upper surface. The upper end 22 of the spindle is square and is adapted to fit a square aperturein the spool 23. A pin 24 is secured to the spindle to hold the spool in position. Two or more flexible wires or chains 25 are wound on the spool 23 and are led through apertures 26 to the outside of the receptacle 1 and thence over guide-pulleys 26 to the-annular weight 27, which weight rests normally on the globe 13, as shown in .Fig. 1. The spindle 19 is surrounded by the tube 28, which extends proof material to protect the contents of the reservoir.

To attach the ring or collar 11 to the downwardly-projecting anges of the receptacle, a small amount of easily-fusible solder is run into the circular channel 10 through openings formed in said flanges. The apparatus is then assembled, as shown in Fig. 1, the globe 13 and the receptacle 1 being filled with a quantity of powdered chemical.

The operation of my device is as follows: The extinguishers being arranged at intervals along the ceiling of a room, a slight fire would cause the fuses 17 to explode the cartridge 16 and break the globe 13. The composition within the globe would be discharged to the floor, and at the same time the weight 27 would be released, which by means of the chains 25 would rotate the spool 23 and the wheel 21. As the wheel 21 revolves the powdered chemical dropping thereon from the reservoir through the apertures 9 would be discharged radially from the circumference of said wheel and would cover a circular area of considerable diameter. In case the fuses 17 or 18 failed to ignite or the globe 13 failed to be broken by the heat to thereby release the weight 27 the fusible solder within the channel 10 would be melted and the weight released by the falling globe.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and reliable device whereby a highlyefficient chemical fire-extinguisher may be maintained free from exposure to the air and ready upon the appearance of a fire to be discharged over a considerable area. The damage ordinarily resulting from water would be entirely eliminated.

While I have shown the preferred form of my device, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise construction disclosed, and therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims or of mechanical equivalents to the structure set forth.

Having thus described my invention, so that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it apper tains, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, a receptacle containing a powdered chemical, a fragile globe attached to said receptacle, an

explosive cartridge within said globe, heatactuated means for exploding said cartridge,

and means for discharging the contents of weight-actuated means for discharging the contents of the receptacle in a radial direction therefrom.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a receptacle, a globe attached to said receptacle, heat-actuated means for detaching said globe, and weight-actuated means for discharging the contents of said receptacle in a radial direction therefrom.

4. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle, a breakable globe attached to said receptacle, heat-actuated means for detaching said globe, means of communication between said globe and receptacle, a horizontally-disposed wheel suspended from said receptacle, and weight-actuated means for revolving said wheel to discharge the contents of the receptacle in a radial direction.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a receptacle having a plurality of apertures in the bottom thereof, a horizontallydisposed wheel suspended from said receptacle, and weight-actuated means for revolvin said wheel when the temperature has reached a certain predetermined degree.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a receptacle having a plurality of apertures in the bottom thereof, a breakable globe attached to said receptacle, an explosive cartridge contained insaid globe, heatactuated means for exploding said cartridge, heat-actuated means independent of said explosive means for detaching said globe, and means actuated upon the detachment of said globe for discharging the contents of said receptacle in a radial direction.

7. A device of the class described, comprising a receptacle provided with a plurality of apertures 1n the bottom thereof, a breakable globe detachably secured to said receptacle, heat-actuated means for detaching said globe, and means actuated upon the detachment of said globe whereby the contents of the receptacle will be discharged in a radial direction therefrom.

8. In a device of the class described, comprising a receptacle, a breakable globe detachably secured thereto, heat actuated means for removing said globe, a wheel suspended from said rece tacle, and gravityactuated means operab e upon the removal of said globe for revolving said Wheel to discharge the contents of the receptacle in a radial direction.

9, A device of the class described, comprising a receptacle having a plurality of apertures in the bottom thereof, a wheel suspended from said receptacle, a breakable globe det'achably secured to said receptacle, heat-actuated means for removing said globe, a Weight resting normally upon said globe, and chains connecting said weight to the spindle of said wheel whereby u on the re moval of the globe the saidwhee will be rotated and the contents of the receptacle discharged therefrom in a radial direction.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presenceof two witnesses.

ALFONSO LEE JAYNES.

Witnesses:

, STUART R. W. ALLEN,

WILLIAM G. ARMSTRONG. 

